The present invention relates to textile yarn creels for supporting a plurality of yarn packages for feeding yarns therefrom to a textile knitting machine or like textile apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,138, issued Sept. 10, 1985, entitled "Textile Yarn Creel," by the same inventor as the present invention, discloses a textile yarn creel of a compact circular construction adapted to support multiple yarn packages in a circular arrangement for yarn delivery from the packages radially inwardly to a central area of the creel from which the yarns are directed through conveying tubes to an associated knitting or other textile machine. The creel of this patent provides a circular frame to which plural longitudinal yarn package supporting assemblies may be mounted axially at selected circumferential locations and spacings for permitting the selective increase or decrease of the yarn package storage capacity of the creel within a given circular area defined by the frame. In one embodiment, a rotatable compressed air emission tube having multiple air discharge ports along its length is arranged at the center of the frame for discharging air radially outwardly to remove lint from, and prevent lint accumulation on, the creel and its yarn packages. In an alternative embodiment, a rotary fan is mounted above the frame for the same purpose.
A similar textile yarn creel of a circular construction is manufactured and sold by Alan Shelton, Limited, of Leicestershire, England, under the trade name, "Venticreel." This creel utilizes a plurality of individual creel units each having a pair of upright yarn package supporting members rigidly connected in spaced parallel relation, with the plural creel units being connected to one another in a circular arrangement by frame connectors extending laterally between adjacent creel units. This creel also supports a plurality of yarn packages in a circular array for radially inward yarn delivery as in the creel of U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,138. This creel also offers the ability to selectively increase the yarn package supporting capacity of the creel by the use of additional creel units in the circular arrangement, but with the attendant disadvantage of increasing the overall diameter of, and floor space required by, the creel.